James White vs. a Jumping Myth

ESPN: TrueHoop

This is an excerpt from a book by Todd Gallagher, called Andy Roddick Beat Me With a Frying Pan, answering abiding sports questions that, in this case, have nothing to do with baseball. But it reminded me of my summer at basketball camp, when I was in between the eighth and ninth grades, at Kutscher’s in the Catskills. Wilt Chamberlain was the big name at the camp, but my best time was spent chatting with Walt Frazier in the parking lot. Still, reading the linked story reminded me of something else.

“Jumping” Johnny Green was our guest coach and apropos his nickname someone asked if he really could pick a dollar bill off the top of the backboard.

“For a dollar bill, no,” he said, as if he’d answered this question a million times (and probably had, what with that nickname of his), “But put a $20 bill up there and I’ll show you how it’s done.”

Needless to say, the scores of 11 year olds that surrounded him in their basketball togs didn’t have a dollar between them, much less a double sawbuck.

Too bad.